Emergency key for door locks



Nov. 28, 1939. w. 1-1 WILSON EMERGENCY KEY FOR DOOR LOCKS Filed Feb. 21, 1959- l'zwefilarz' Wilson, 1 WM.

Patented Nov. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to keys and particularly to keys for use inthe mortise locks of doors inside a building.

The stem or shank of the key embodying the present invention is provided with a threaded extension projecting through and beyond the outer surface of the door and on this projecting portion is mounted means whereby the removal of the key from the lock is prevented, while permitting sufficient movement about the axis of the stem to lock or unlock the door.

Means isalso provided on the projecting portion of the extension whereby the key may be turned from. the outside of the door to unlock the same.

A freely rotatable guard member surrounds the outwardly projecting portion of the key which is adapted to prevent the turning of the key from the outside except by those provided with a suitable turning implement.

The object of the invention is the provision of an emergency key which may be used to unlock from the outside the door of a bathroom or similar room in case an accident occurs therein.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means whereby children playing in the room cannot remove the key from the lock.

These objects are attained by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, one preferred form thereof is illustrated in the drawing, this form having been found to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized, and the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described except as required by the scope of the appended claims.

Of the drawing Figure 1 represents the edge of a door having a mortise lock mounted therein in which is disposed an emergency key embodying the principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 represents an elevation of said emergency key with portions thereof shown in section.

Figure 3 represents ah elevation of a blank having a rectangular bit which may be notched to fit any mortise lock.

Figure 4 represents an end elevation of said emergency key.

Figure 5 represents an elevation of a collar mounted on the extension of said emergency key.

Figure 6 represents an elevation of a member disposed in said collar and threaded to said extension.

Figure 7 represents another member adapted to be threaded to the key extension and contacting with the outer face of the member shown in I Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 represents an elevation of a guard member or casing surrounding the members shown in Figs. 6 and '7.

Fig. 9 represents an elevation of an implement such as a clock key adapted to coact with flattened sides at the outer end of said key extension.

Figure 10 represents an end elevation of the implement shown in Fig. 9, and

Figure 11 represents an enlarged view of the outer end of the key extension having flat sides and threaded portions at the corners thereof.

Similar characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures of the drawing.

In the drawing, I0 is a key provided with a stem. or shank II at one end of which is a ring I2 by which the key may be turned in a mortise lock.

Near the opposite end of the main stem or shank II is a bit I3 which is provided with notches I4 so constructed that it will coact with a mortise lock I5 of usual construction inserted in the edge of a door I6.

The outer end of the stem or shank II has a threaded extension H which extends through the mortise lock I5 and the door I6, a portion of this extension I'I projecting beyond the outer face of the door I6.

Threaded to the projecting portion of the stem or shank I I is a cup-shaped member I8, the outer end thereof having a tubular portion which is spaced from the extension IT a sufficient distance to admit the operating end of an implement I9 adapted to coact with the flat sides 20 at the extreme outer end of the extension I'I.

Surrounding this tubular member I8 is a guard member or casing 2 I' which is freely revoluble and prevents any unauthorized person without an implement I9 from turning the cup-shaped member I8 after it has been properly adjusted on the threaded extension IT.

The inner end of this guard member 2I is forced into a cup-shaped collar 22, the closed end of which contacts with the outer face of the door.

When the key is disposed in the mortise lock 15 and the guard member 2I, 22 is positioned around the cup-Shaped member I8, the threads of said cup-shaped member I8 engaging the threads of the extension I! will prevent the key It from being removed from the lock, while at the same time the key has sufficient movement about the axis of the stem I I to permit the door being locked and unlocked.

As a consequence, children going into a bathing unable to insert the same again into the lock [5.

When this happens the children are locked in the room and can only be released therefrom. by someone climbing up a ladder to the window of the room and through the same, or by forcing the door inwardly causing considerable damage thereto.

Moreover, it is often the case that accidents often occur to elderly people or cripples while in the bathroom with the door locked.

By supplying an emergency key such as is shown and described herein, an occupant of the house may take a clock key l9 or some similar implement and by engaging the operating end thereof with the flat sides of the extension ll the door may be unlocked and access to the room obtained whereby the injured party may be removed or permitting the children locked in the room to escape therefrom.

These keys may be provided for the inner doors of bathrooms when the house is first built or they may be provided later when the necessity for the use of the same occurs.

With healthy people occupying the home the ordinary lock key maybe used but when later small children arrive and elderly or invalid personsform a part of the household, it is desirable to remove the usual key and substitute therefor one of these emergency keys as shown and described.

In such a case, the key is removed and taken to a locksmith who will be provided with blank keys the bits of which are rectangular. All the locksmith has to do is to make the rectangular blank bit conform to the bit of the ordinary key of the lock and then the emergency key will be substituted for the ordinary key which came with the lock.

Usually in every house there are plenty of clock keys, and generally these are of a size to fit the squared portion of the extension IT.

A clock key 19 similar to that shown in the drawing may be hung on a nail at some convenient place where it would be accessible whenever its use was necessary.

The projecting portion of the extension ll extends only a short distance from the outer surface of the door and is never conspicuous and this is particularly true in as much as it is disposed immediately beneath the door handle 23 which is much larger and extends outwardly from the door a much greater distance.

In assembling the emergency key l B in the lock l5 the cup-shaped member 22 is placed around the extension ii and then the member 2% is screwed onto said extension thereby moving the member 22 into near contact with the outer face of the door it or into near contact with. the plate 25 where the door is provided with such plate.

This collar or cup-shaped member 22 must always be permitted to turn freely about the axis of stem H of the key I0.

' The member 2% is provided with a boss 25, which being disposed in the keyhole of the lock I5 supports the extension ll.

When the member 2 1 has been properly adjusted on the extension H, the member 18 is screwed onto the extension l7 and against the outer face of the member 24 forming a lock nut.

The guard member 24 is then positioned about the member 18 with its inner end driven tightly ison at the corners 29 of said flattened portion,

as shown in Fig. 11.

When the "emergency key is in use it can lock and unlock the door but cannot be removed from the lock which obviously is a great advantage,

Another great advantage in the use of this emergency key is in providing a means whereby the door of a room may be opened from the outside when any accident occurs within the room.

If desired, the bit [3 of the key may be so notched as to form a skeleton key which may be used on the mortise lock of any inner door of a building. 7

It is believed that the operation and many advantages of the invention will be understood without further description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A key for mortise locks of doors having integral therewith a threaded extension alined with a the body portion of said key and projecting beyond the outer face of the door, the outer end of said extension having flat sides, and a cupshaped member threaded to and surrounding the projecting portion of said extension.

2. A key as set forth in claim 1 in which a freely revoluble casing surrounds the projecting portion of said extension and enclosessaid cupshaped member.

3. A key as set forth in claim 1 in which a freely revoluble casing surrounds the projecting portion of said extension and encloses said cupshaped member, said casing consisting of a tube, anda cup-shaped collar secured to the inner end of said tube and adapted to bear against the outer face of the door.

4. A key as set forth in claim 1 in which the outer end of the cup-shaped member is spaced sufiiciently from the outer end of said extension to admit a device adaptedto engage the flat sides of said extension and turn the key in said lock.

5. A key for mortise locks of doors having integral therewith at one end a ring by which said key may be turned and at the opposite end an alined extension, the diameter of which is less than the diameter of the key stem, said extension projecting through and beyond the outer face of the door, and removable means on the outer end of said extension whereby the key is prevented from removal from the lock.

6. A key for mortise locks of doors having inprojecting through and beyond the outer face of the door, and removable means on the outer end of said extension whereby the key may be turned freely in the lock by means of saidring but is prevented from removal therefrom.

WILLIAM H. WILSON. 

